The present invention relates to an apparatus and the related method to effectively clean membrane modules by means of a mixture of gas and liquid formed by a venturi, jet or the like. For membrane modules to be applied to an environment of high concentration of suspended solids, for example, in bioreactors, several improved module configurations are described to reduce solid accumulation within a module.
The importance of membrane for treatment of waste water is growing rapidly. It is now well known that membrane processes can be used as an effective tertiary treatment of sewage and provide quality effluent. However, the capital and operating cost can be prohibitive. With the arrival of submerged membrane processes where the membrane modules are immersed in a large feed tank and filtrate is collected through suction applied to the filtrate side of the membrane, membrane bioreactors combining biological and physical processes in one stage promise to be more compact, efficient and economic. Due to their versatility, the size of membrane bioreactors can range from household (such as septic tank systems) to the community and large-scale sewage treatment.
The success of a membrane filtration process largely depends on employing an effective and efficient membrane cleaning method. Commonly used physical cleaning methods include backwash (backpulse, backflush) using a liquid permeate or a gas, membrane surface scrubbing or scouring using a gas in the form of bubbles in a liquid. Examples of the second type of method is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,456 to Ishida et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,424 to Cote et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,373 to Henshaw et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,083 to Henshaw et al and our PCT Application No. WO98/28066.
In the examples referred to above, a gas is injected, usually by means of a pressurised blower, into a liquid system where a membrane module is submerged to form gas bubbles. The bubbles so formed then travel upwards to scrub the membrane surface to remove the fouling substances formed on the membrane surface. The shear force produced largely relies on the initial gas bubble velocity, bubble size and the resultant of forces applied to the bubbles. The fluid transfer in this approach is limited to the effectiveness of the gas lifting mechanism. To enhance the scrubbing effect, more gas has to be supplied. However, this method has several disadvantages: it consumes large amounts of energy, possibly forms mist or froth flow reducing effective membrane filtration area, and may be destructive to membranes. Moreover, in an environment of high concentration of solids, the gas distribution system may gradually become blocked by dehydrated solids or simply be blocked when the gas flow accidentally ceases.
For most tubular membrane modules, the membranes are flexible in the middle (longitudinal direction) of the modules but tend to be tighter and less flexible towards to both potted heads. When such modules are used in an environment containing high concentrations of suspended solids, solids are easily trapped within the membrane bundle, especially in the proximity of two potted heads. The methods to reduce the accumulation of solids include the improvement of module configurations and flow distribution when gas scrubbing is used to clean the membranes.
In the design of a membrane module, the packing density of the tubular membranes in a module is an important factor. The packing density of the fibre membranes in a membrane module as used herein is defined as the cross-sectional potted area taken up by the fibre membranes divided by the total potted area and is normally expressed as a percentage. From the economical viewpoint it is desirable that the packing density be as high as possible to reduce the cost of making membrane modules. In practice solid packing is reduced in a less densely packed membrane module. However, if the packing density is too low, the rubbing effect between membranes could also be lessened, resulting in less efficient scrubbing/scouring of the membrane surfaces. It is thus desirable to provide a membrane configuration which assists removal of accumulated solids while maximising packing density of the membranes.
The present invention, at least in its embodiments, seeks to overcome or least ameliorate some of the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of scrubbing a membrane surface using a liquid medium with gas bubbles entrained therein, including the steps of entraining said gas bubbles into said liquid medium by flow of said liquid medium past a source of said gas, and flowing said gas bubbles and liquid medium along said membrane surface to dislodge fouling materials therefrom.
Preferably, the gas bubbles are entrained into said liquid stream by means of a venturi device. For further preference, the gas bubbles are entrained or injected into said liquid stream by means of devices which forcibly mix gas into a liquid flow to produce a mixture of liquid and bubbles, such devices including a jet, nozzle, ejector, eductor, injector or the like. Optionally, an additional source of bubbles may be provided in said liquid medium by means of a blower or like device. The gas used may include air, oxygen, gaseous chlorine or ozone. Air is the most economical for the purposes of scrubbing and/or aeration. Gaseous chlorine may be used for scrubbing, disinfection and enhancing the cleaning efficiency by chemical reaction at the membrane surface. The use of ozone, besides the similar effects mentioned for gaseous chlorine, has additional features, such as oxidising DBP precursors and converting non-biodegradable NOM""s to biodegradable dissolved organic carbon.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a membrane module comprising a plurality of porous membranes, said membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween, and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of said membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, said liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of said membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, said gas bubbles being entrained in said liquid by flowing said liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into said liquid flow.
Preferably, said liquid and bubbles are mixed and then flowed past membranes to dislodge the fouling materials.
According to one preferred form, the present invention provides a method of removing fouling materials from the surface of a plurality of porous hollow fibre membranes mounted and extending longitudinally in an array to form a membrane module, said membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween, the method comprising the steps of providing, from within said array, by means other than gas passing through the pores of said membranes, uniformly distributed gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow, said gas bubbles being entrained in said liquid flow by flowing said liquid past a source of gas so as to cause said gas to be drawn and/or mixed into said liquid, said distribution being such that said bubbles pass substantially uniformly between each membrane in said array to, in combination with said liquid flow, scour the surface of said membranes and remove accumulated solids from within the membrane module. Preferably, said bubbles are injected and mixed into said liquid flow.
For preference, the membranes comprise porous hollow fibres, the fibres being fixed at each end in a header, the lower header having one or more holes formed therein through which gas/liquid flow is introduced. The holes can be circular, elliptical or in the form of a slot. The fibres are normally sealed at the lower end and open at their upper end to allow removal of filtrate, however, in some arrangements, the fibres may be open at both ends to allow removal of filtrate from one or both ends. The fibres are preferably arranged in cylindrical arrays or bundles. It will be appreciated that the cleaning process described is equally applicable to other forms of membrane such flat or plate membranes.
According to a further aspect the present invention provides a membrane module comprising a plurality of porous hollow fibre membranes, said fibre membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween, the fibre membranes being fixed at each end in a header, one header having one or more of holes formed therein through which gas/liquid flow is introduced, and partition means extending at least part way between said headers to partition said membrane fibres into groups. Preferably, the partition means are formed by a spacing between respective fibre groups. The partitions may be parallel to each other or, in the case of cylindrical arrays of fibre membranes, the partitions may extend radially from the centre of the array or be positioned concentrically within the cylindrical array. In an alternative form, the fibre bundle may be provided with a central longitudinal passage extending the length of the bundle between the headers.
According to yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a membrane module for use in a membrane bioreactor including a plurality of porous hollow membrane fibres extending longitudinally between and mounted at each end to a respective potting head, said membrane fibres being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween, said fibres being partitioned into a number of bundles at least at or adjacent to their respective potting head so as to form a space therebetween, one of said potting heads having an array of aeration openings formed therein for providing gas bubbles within said module such that, in use, said bubbles move past the surfaces of said membrane fibres to dislodge fouling materials therefrom.
The fibre bundle is protected and fibre movement is limited by a module support screen which has both vertical and horizontal elements appropriately spaced to provide unrestricted fluid and gas flow through the fibres and to restrict the amplitude of fibre motion reducing energy concentration at the potted ends of the fibres.
Preferably, said aeration openings are positioned to coincide with the spaces formed between said partitioned bundles. For preference, said openings comprise a slot, slots or a row of holes. Preferably, the fibre bundles are located in the potting head between the slots or rows of holes.
For further preference, the gas bubbles are entrained or mixed with a liquid flow before being fed through said holes or slots, though it will be appreciated that gas only may be used in some configurations. The liquid used may be the feed to the membrane module. The fibres and/or fibre bundles may cross over one another between the potting heads though it is desirable that they do not.
Preferably, the fibres within the module have a packing density (as defined above) of between about 5 to about 70% and, more preferably, between about 8 to about 55%.
For preference, said holes have a diameter in the range of about 1 to 40 mm and more preferably in the range of about 1.5 to about 25 mm. In the case of a slot or row of holes, the open area is chosen to be equivalent to that of the above holes.
Typically, the fibre inner diameter ranges from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm and is preferably in the range of about 0.25 mm to about 2 mm. The fibres wall thickness is dependent on materials used and strength required versus filtration efficiency. Typically wall thickness is between 0.05 to 2 mm and more often between 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a membrane bioreactor including a tank having means for the introduction of feed thereto, means for forming activated sludge within said tank, a membrane module according to the first aspect positioned within said tank so as to be immersed in said sludge and said membrane module provided with means for withdrawing filtrate from at least one end of said fibre membranes.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of operating a membrane bioreactor of the type described in the second aspect comprising introducing feed to said tank, applying a vacuum to said fibres to withdraw filtrate therefrom while periodically or continuously supplying gas bubbles through said aeration openings to within said module such that, in use, said bubbles move past the surfaces of said membrane fibres to dislodge fouling materials therefrom. Preferably, the gas bubbles are entrained or mixed with a liquid flow when fed through said holes or slots.
If required, a further source of aeration may be provided within the tank to assist microorganism activity. For preference, the membrane module is suspended vertically within the tank and said further source of aeration may be provided beneath the suspended module. Preferably, the further source of aeration comprises a group of air permeable tubes. The membrane module may be operated with or without backwash depending on the flux. A high mixed liquor of suspended solids (5,000 to 20,000 ppm) in the bioreactor has been shown to significantly reduce residence time and improve filtrate quality. The combined use of aeration for both degradation of organic substances and membrane cleaning has been shown to enable constant filtrate flow without significant increases in transmembrane pressure while establishing high concentration of MLSS. The use of partitioned fibre bundles enables higher packing densities to be achieved without significantly compromising the gas scouring process. This provides for higher filtration efficiencies to be gained.